A recent public hearing on Eskom’s proposed electricity tariff increases has spilled into a wider debate about survival, with struggling households and small-scale fishers warning that rising energy costs are threatening both basic needs and livelihoods.
The concerns follow a virtual public hearing convened by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), where political parties, civic organisations and community representatives pushed back against Eskom’s proposed tariff increases, warning of the impact on consumers already battling rising living costs.
The submissions raised questions about affordability, regulatory oversight and whether the power utility’s costs were being sufficiently scrutinised before being passed on to consumers. Stakeholders also questioned how households could absorb further increases when they were already squeezed by unemployment and rising basic expenses.
The Green Connection, an eco-justice organisation working with grassroots coastal communities and small-scale fishers, warned that another substantial increase would deepen the pressure on households already struggling to make ends meet.
Its advocacy lead, Lisa Makaula, said the proposed 8.83% increase for 2027/28 was particularly concerning following an approved 8.76% increase for 2026/27.
“For many South Africans, electricity is more than a monthly expense – it is about dignity. Families are having to choose between electricity and meeting other basic needs, while unemployment and economic pressures continue to undermine household security,” she said.
Makaula also called on NERSA to extend public participation, arguing that a single day of hearings was insufficient for a decision affecting millions of people.
For fishing communities, the impact is felt both at home and at sea.
Ernest Titus, a small-scale fisher from Lamberts Bay on the West Coast, said rising electricity, fuel, food and school costs were squeezing incomes that were already insufficient to meet household needs.
“Fishing is what we have known and relied on for generations. At the same time, our income must cover rising electricity, food and school costs. We are facing financial pressure from all sides, and our monthly income is simply not enough to meet these growing demands,” he said.
In Port Nolloth, Gina Orlam said rising costs were placing families under mounting pressure while incomes failed to keep pace.
“Costs continue to rise, but salaries and incomes are not keeping pace. What about households with no income, or young people who want to work but cannot find opportunities?” she asked.
Chanel Jaar, a young activist from Port Nolloth, said fishers from Port Nolloth, Hondeklipbaai and Doringbaai could spend more than R2 500 on fuel for a single trip, with low catches leaving them operating at a loss.
“Although the government promotes greener energy, communities have yet to see the benefits, while free basic electricity provides little relief as tariffs continue to rise. We ask how households and fishing communities are expected to survive under these pressures,” said Jaar.
In Botshabelo in the Free State, Moeketsi Diba, who represents community organisations Green Futures and the Environmental Justice Network, urged government to prioritise affordable energy and help communities generate their own electricity through solar technology.
The Green Connection’s outreach ambassador, Neville van Rooy, said affordability must be matched by greater transparency and regulatory scrutiny.
“NERSA must scrutinise whether costs submitted by Eskom and other electricity suppliers are prudent, reasonable and necessary. Consumers should be able to understand the basis for proposed increases rather than bear the financial consequences without adequate regulatory oversight,” he said.
Van Rooy also called for communities to be properly informed about electricity market reforms, including the wholesale electricity market and Eskom’s unbundling, before further increases were imposed.
Along the Wild Coast, rising costs are compounded by environmental concerns. Ntsindiso Nongcavu, acting chairperson of the Cacavu Fishing Cooperative in Port St Johns, said high fuel prices made it difficult for fishers to transport their catch at their own expense, while rising electricity costs added to operating expenses.
Nongcavu also raised concerns about fish carcasses washing ashore and creating an unbearable stench, saying communities had been instructed not to consume the fish, but the departments responsible had not removed the carcasses.
“With livelihoods under pressure and living costs rising, coastal communities feel neglected,” he said.
Nongcavu also questioned why fishers affected by natural disasters did not receive the same relief available to agricultural farmers.
Organisations and political parties at the hearing, including the Better Governance Initiative (BGI), the City of Cape Town, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance and ActionSA, raised concerns about affordability, warning that further increases could deepen financial hardship and disproportionately burden low-income households.
AfriForum cautioned that higher fixed charges could push consumers towards alternative energy sources, while NERSA stressed that its decision had to comply with existing laws and policies. Eskom defended the proposed changes, saying reductions in per-unit energy rates would offset adjustments to fixed service charges.
anita.nkonki@nationalmg.co.za